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Opinion: Guest Opinions

Consider solar part of energy mix

By Phil Wardwell

Posted:
02/16/2014 01:00:00 AM MST

As Boulder citizens consider forming a municipal utility and reducing their carbon footprint, it is interesting to consider the experiences of others.

The islands of the Caribbean Sea are known to Coloradans as a vacation mecca. One reason for this popularity is the fabulous solar resources of the Caribbean. Suntans aside, the islands' solar resource offers a tremendous source of energy — energy which can be converted into electrical power.

At present, electricity in the Caribbean is very expensive. It is almost all generated by large diesel-powered generators. Ships bring in the diesel fuel. Electricity can cost 40 to 55 cents per kilowatt-hour.

In this respect, the Caribbean islands are similar to Hawaii. Electric power in Hawaii is also mainly generated by large diesel engines, fueled by diesel oil imported by ship. Electric power in Hawaii costs approximately 36 cents per kilowatt-hour, as opposed to 10 or 11 cents in Boulder.

With the decline in cost of solar photovoltaic panels and related systems in recent years, a market for solar power has arisen in Hawaii and the Caribbean. Stated differently, in these islands, rooftop solar systems can now compete with electric power from the grid, because solar is cheaper.

My wife and I recently visited the island of Sint Maarten — a half-Dutch, half-French island located about 230 miles east of Puerto Rico. We had been on the island two years ago, and saw no solar electric generation.

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But in 2014, things were different. On the waterfront on one of the main streets in the Dutch side is a restaurant called Lee's Roadhouse Grill. Prominently displayed on the wooden roof are approximately 25 solar panels. The manager, Ileana, told me that the system was expensive, but electric power is so costly — she was paying about $6,000 per month — that the solar system, which cuts the restaurant's power demand in half, will pay for itself in about three years. Since solar panels of good quality will last for upwards of 30 years, this represents a significant savings in the operational costs of this business for a long time to come.

Further north, we found the Westin Resort hotel has plans to install a 700 kilowatt system. The engineer in charge, Sergo Buis-Sereth, estimated the system would pay for itself in as little as a year and a half. After that capital investment is recouped, the resort will enjoy essentially free power from its system for 30 years or more.

Since the Westin has a reinforced concrete roof, Buis-Sereth felt that he could fasten the panels down so securely that they could resist the hurricane strength winds of 160 miles per hour.

Andrea, manager of our small resort, La Vista, told me she plans to install a solar system. Diamond International Resorts is considering solar and testing it on its Arizona properties.

The Hawaiian islands also are enjoying a solar boom. Owners of both residences and businesses are queuing up to install solar rooftop systems and connect them to the grid.

Both Hawaii and the Caribbean islands have an interest in preserving the environment that supports their natural resource-based, tourist economies. So do coastal states of the United States.

Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Airlines, recently concluded an agreement with several other Caribbean islands, including St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos, and the British Virgin Islands. These governments committed to start replacing diesel generators with renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal (Earth's heat) energy. The agreement was announced at a conference co-sponsored by Boulder-based Rocky Mountain Institute.

Branson committed his own resort island, Necker Island, to serve as a test island. The test is to demonstrate that a coordinated, integrated use of wind energy, solar energy, and energy storage can provide about 80 percent of the island's power needs. A Boulder business, Homer Energy, serves as technical advisor for these Caribbean programs. Its software helps to model the different energy sources and the loads, to minimize system size.

Boulder used the same software Branson used, to assess feasibility of a municipal utility.

What is the lesson for Boulder? Boulder also has great solar resources. Solar systems, fostered by a municipal utility, can compete with and supplement power supplied by the grid. The micro grid application for Necker Island is scalable upward for Boulder. Solar systems operate as a hedge against the ever-rising costs of investor-owned utility power, and the volatility of markets for fossil fuels. The cost of solar "fuel" — sunshine — is and always will be zero.

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